COMMISSION OPINION

of 20 December 2011

relating to the plan for the disposal of radioactive waste from the Very Low-level Waste Repository located adjacent to the Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant site in Lithuania, in accordance with Article 37 of the Euratom Treaty

(Only the Lithuanian text is authentic)

2011/C 373/02

The assessment below is carried out under the provisions of the Euratom Treaty, without prejudice to any additional assessments to be carried out under the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union and the obligations stemming from it and from secondary legislation.

On 16 June 2011, the European Commission received from the Lithuanian Government, in accordance with Article 37 of the Euratom Treaty, General Data relating to the plan for the disposal of radioactive waste arising from the Very Low-level Waste Repository, located adjacent to the Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant site in Lithuania.

On the basis of these data and additional information requested by the Commission on 6 July 2011 and provided by the Lithuanian authorities on 1 August 2011, and following consultation with the Group of Experts, the Commission has drawn up the following opinion:

The measures envisaged for the final closure of the repository as described in the General Data provide reliance that the conclusions under point 2 above will remain valid in the long-term.

In conclusion, the Commission is of the opinion that the implementation of the plan for the disposal of radioactive waste in whatever form arising from the Very Low-level Waste Repository located adjacent to the site of the Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant in Lithuania, during its normal operational period and after its final closure, as well as in the event of an accident of the type and magnitude considered in the General Data, is not liable to result in a radioactive contamination of the water, soil or airspace of another Member State or a neighbouring country.